The data published a few days ago by the meteorological service on the burnt areas and the number of forest fires in our country for the first half of the current fire season (05/01/2022 – 07/31/2022) are cause for concern.

The pyrometeorological team FLAME of the National Observatory of Athens (EAA) / meteo.gr extracted and processed the data European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). According to EFFIS, the area of ​​fires in Greece until the end of July is 215,000 acres – Features include a burnt area in Dadia. this is about an increase of about 50% compared to the corresponding average for the period 2006-2021 (average 114,054 ha per year).).

According to the meteorological service, six large forest fires that occurred in July in Itea, Elijah, Rethymno, Penteli, Lesbos and Dadia. However, the number of fires is also growing. In July 2022, EFFIS recorded 38 events, with the average for the period 2006-2021. much lower – 22.

A video released today by the National Observatory team notes that in July 2022 alone, a total area of ​​more than 130,000 acres was affected in our country.

It’s windy summer

Weather and pyrometeorological conditions that vary depending on the time of year. climate crisis, in which we are now officially, is a key factor in the more destructive behavior of fires around the world. “This year we have had many days with strong winds,” O. “K” begins to explain. Kostas Laguvardos, director of research at the National Observatory of Athens, and adds: “These winds have caused many fires this summer – for example, Penteli, which was clearly wind-driven, but also Dadia at the beginning. And while we are clearly not experiencing, at least for now, extreme summer weather, we have a lot to do but also intense heat in Western Greece. In other words, risk indicators increase.

“In any case, the fact that twice as many hectares burned this year compared to previous years is an alarming development in the general context, when weather conditions are becoming more and more extreme, as we saw it a few days ago in Western Europe. . From this point of view, more training in the field of prevention is needed.”

Simultaneous and massive fires

The fact that the weather this summer is not extreme, notes, in turn, a pyrometeorologist and authorized researcher at the National Observatory of Athens, Thodoris M. Giannaros. But, as he emphasizes: “When you have many events at the same time – for example, Lesvos and Dadia, although a little earlier you also had to deal with Penteli, where the fire brigade carried out a very large operation, managing the entire field becomes very difficult. Last year we also had the phenomenon of simultaneous fires – Varibompi and Evia, and at arm’s length Ilia, Laconia, Messinia.”

According to Mr Giannaros, Simultaneous fires are not a new phenomenon.. As he explains: “And in 2007, we had 4 big fires at the same time in the Peloponnese. But what has changed in recent years and is related to climate change is that fire and weather conditions make conditions more favorable when many fires occur at the same time, a significant percentage of them grow large and become very complex“.

Constant fires and a small window of time

In addition to being widespread, fires are also becoming very persistent. As Mr. Giannaros explains to us: “Lesvos and Dadia are two prime examples where outbreaks have made it difficult to control these two fires. The same thing happened in Rethymnon – and there we had exacerbations, but they lasted for several days. The pyrometeorological conditions observed in recent years make the fires largely “permanent”..

Also, these pyrometeorological conditions during the climate crisis also limit the so-called “night window”. In the evenings, the temperature drops and the humidity rises. However, the longer the warm periods come, the warmer the nights become, the temperature no longer drops as usual, and the humidity remains high. Thus, the possibility of easier fire control is also minimized. the time window of the night is getting shorter and shorter“.

The contribution of science to the preparatory part

According to Mr. Giannaros, all of the above parameters load the forest fire extinguishing mechanism during the battle. He himself believes that an increase in the available aircraft entering the battle, as well as groups of forest commanders, are a good addition to the extinguishing part. But at the same time, scientific tools, at least in the part of prediction, can and should help in the valuable part of prevention.

As he explains: “When fire and weather conditions are closely monitored and an assessment is made of how each event is expected to develop, forces are better managed because you know the conditions that prevail in each area, as well as those that will follow them. in the next 6, 10, 12 hours.

»In Portugal, my colleagues from the University of Lisbon work closely with the fire department, especially when there are many fires at the same time, because fire meteorologists show in which fire firefighters can “play” in defense, and in which attack. The idea that the foresters have about the brought fuel is also useful. But there must be foresters to give us this picture.”

Giannaros said the IRIS system (including the National Observatory of Athens forest fire prediction system and the weather system) is also very useful, which he says was forgotten this year. As he explains, IRIS is not a panacea, but it can provide a useful picture both at the time of a fire and earlier, while a difficult fire and weather situation is expected, providing different possible scenarios of what can happen and where.

As Mr. Giannaros concludes: “Already in 2018, a European Commission report shows us that climate change makes scientific presence and assistance more necessary than ever in the quest to change the philosophy with which we deal with fires.”